The Affairs of Kings
by darkladywolf
Summary: Sakura gets sent to a whole new world when she gets hit by a powerful jutsu to save Naruto. But going back might prove to be harder than she had first thought. For this new world is closer than ever to war. She just never expected to fall in love along the way...


**Jon Snow/Haruno Sakura **

"Arya! Get back here right now!" a voice boomed throughout Winterfell making a few ravens that were resting on tree branches fly away.

"You want me?" came a teasing reply "Come and get me!"

The ten year old girl dashed down the stony streets and took a left turn almost bumping into Ser Rodrick in the process, who was making his way to the training grounds.

"Lady Arya! What is the meaning of this? You are a lady! You shouldn't be running like that! You lady mother will hear of this!" he shouted after her in a futile attempt to make the younger daughter of Lord Eddard Stark cease her running.

Said girl spared him a cheerful look and slowed down slightly only to reply "Sorry Ser Rodrick! I wish I could stop! But Sakura is chasing me!"

And at that very moment did Ser Rodrick notice the strange and dark-aura-emitting, pink-haired girl running after the young Arya Stark with murdering intent in her blazing emerald eyes.

"Lady Sakura!" he shouted at once, making the young woman cease her long and quick strides. Arya was a young and stubborn child and Ser Rodrick knew her all too well to say that she could never be stopped once she had something on her mind. But Sakura was a woman grown. Almost six-and-ten! Surely she would give him a reasonable explanation as to why she was chasing after Arya.

The pink-haired beauty turned her fiery eyes to him.

"How may I be of service to you, dear Ser?" she asked politely, never forgetting her courtesy; not even when she was angry.

The man cleared his throat and put his left hand on the hilt of his sword that was resting against his hip.

"Could you please explain to me why you are so set on hunting Lady Arya throughout Winterfell? Lady Arya's excuses weren't so…convincing" he finished.

The young lady opened her mouth to speak but Arya, who was hiding behind a tree, beat her to it. Without a moment's hesitation she flung a handful of snow at Sakura's pink head. The laugh that the young Stark girl let out could be heard all the way to King's Landing. King Robert was bound to hear it.

Ser Rodrick noticed the rosette's clenched fists as, with one hand, she wiped the snow off her face and rosy locks that were starting to get dump. Slowly, the woman raised her head and her eyes gave the word 'anger' a whole new meaning.

"Sorry, Ser Rodrick" she said as she wiped some more snow off her face "But I have a brat to catch!" She span on her heels and started running the way Arya had been only a minute ago with amazing speed.

Ser Rodrick followed her with his gaze and shook his head. Women…..

**SAKURAS'S POV**

'Arya better pray to that weird white tree of hers because when I catch her I'm gonna pull every single hair she has out of her skull!' Sakura thought as she made her way over an old fallen cart that was blocking her way. The people of Winterfell gave her strange looks as she passed them on the street but she was used to them and they were used to her by now.

'Stupid Kakashi-sensei, stupid Mangekyou Sharingan and stupid shinobi and their damned wars!' she thought as she kicked a pile of frozen snow. It scattered but did nothing to ease her troubled mind. Some of it stuck to her grey boots. They had given her clothes as well. And good thing they had. The weather in Winterfell was way colder than back in Konoha. It even beat the low temperatures of the Land of Snow. The clothes had been strange against her skin and at first she had felt extremely heavy and hot. So, she had taken out a kunai and set to work. They dark grey leather they had given her, top and pants, was too heavy, it covered most of her body and it prevented her from moving freely. With her calculating ninja mind she knew that it would be highly impractical in a fight. She had cut off the sleeves of the top and turned it into a 'V' neck. She had turned the pants into a skirt that reached mid thigh with slits on either side allowing her to move easier. With a little help from Septa Mordane she had sewed the two pieces into a dress. Now, it slightly resembled her ninja uniform. She had a black belt of hard leather around her waist where she put the sword she was given and her kunai pouch and tied around her neck was the warm, grey, trimmed with white fur, cloak they had given her. It had a strange, dark grey wolf on the back. The boots came later after they had found her size.

'What did I get myself into?' On a second thought, though 'What did Kakashi-sensei and Naruto get me into?'

It was their entire fault! If Naruto had jumped out of the way the moment he was supposed to, she wouldn't have had to save him and, as result, she wouldn't have gotten caught in Kakashi-sensei's Mangekyou! She could still see it. Naruto fighting Madara, Kakashi lifting his headband off his eye and shouting at Naruto to move out of the way, her legs moving on their own when Naruto didn't jump away, her chakra-infused hands giving Naruto a brutal shove to get him out of the way and then…nothing. Only an endless black.

She had woken up feeling cold, her bare arms and legs were freezing and her head was throbbing like she had been kicked by a horse. She could remember that she had blacked out again, this time from cold and exhaustion.

The second time had been better. She had woken up feeling warm and soft, covered in furs and with a strange man looking down at her.

**FLASHBACK**

"Are you ok, my Lady?" asked the strange man as he watched the strange pink-haired girl open her emerald eyes "Do you need more dreamwine to dull the headache?"

'My Lady? Dreamwine?' thought Sakura as she tried to sit up but failed miserably when a sudden stab of pain to her head made her fall back on the softness that turned out to be pillows and a big featherbed.

She looked around and found herself in a spacious room made of stone. She was tacked under a mountain of furs and the warmth she had first felt was coming from a hearth. The strange man was holding a cup in his hands and she could see a strange chain hanging from his neck.

'Where am I?' she thought 'There is no way I am in Konoha or any other of the Hidden Villages. I can see snow outside the window. I don't remember ever seeing snow in Konoha and I am positive that I am not in the Land of Snow'

She turned to the man that was still standing near the bed.

"Where am I?" she asked and her voice came out hoarser than she remembered.

"You are in Winterfell, my Lady. And I am Maester Luwin" he said and his voice was kind.

'Winterfell? I know not of such a place in any of the Shinobi Nations. And this man…..His attire is unlike any other I have ever seen. Not even the traditional wear of the Land of Grass was this strange' Realization came quickly ' Oh no! The Mangekyou! It controls time and space! It can send objects to other dimensions! Shit! I'm so screwed! The Mangekyou must have sent me to another dimension, to another…..world' Panic started to settle in and she sat up abruptly. Her head was killing her but she had to get out. She had to find a way to get back home. Asking for a map was not an option and she was positive that no one here would be able to help her. She had to find a way to go back on her own. But how?

'Calm down Sakura' she told herself ' Panicking will get you nowhere. First, find out where you are and see if the people here are friendly or not'

"How did I get here?" she asked with some difficulty. Her throat felt raw.

"Here drink this" the man said "It will help your throat and the headache." With careful moves he handed her the cup he was holding and stepped back. The liquid was sweet and hot and did wonders to her sore throat. It vaguely reminded her of wine but it was not quite the same.

"Lord Eddard Stark and his sons found you unconscious under a pile of snow. You would have been dead by now if they hadn't brought you here. Fortunately, they made it in time. Your feet and arms were almost blue when they first put you on this bed" he said and took the cup from her hands "Are you feeling any better now? Lord Eddard wishes to speak with you. Do you think that you are strong enough for that?"

So this Eddard Stark was the lord here? A gut feeling told her that she couldn't refuse and at the same time she was curious to meet this lord who was after all her savior.

"Yes, I think that I can make it" she said and was pleased to see that she could speak with ease without her throat killing her.

"That is good to hear" the strange man said "I will inform Lord Eddard at once"

He left shortly after taking the cup with him and leaving Sakura to her thoughts.

True to his words, Maester Luwin arrived shortly after with a man following him. The man had dark hair that reached his shoulders and dark, piercing eyes. He had an aura of authority around him that reminded her of Tsunade-sama. He wore leather and fur and she could see a big sword strapped to his back. He wasn't very tall but he was well built.

He looked at her and she could see in his eyes that he was trying to decide what to think of her. Friend or foe? He ran his eyes over her form; he stopped when he noticed her pink hair and the strange bandages around her torso. His eyes clashed with hers. That was the moment that Lord Eddard Stark knew that the foreigner before him was like none he had ever met before. He knew that she was more dangerous than the direwolf of Stark or the lion of Lannister.

He came closer to the bed and Sakura followed him with her eyes like a hawk. They stopped on the sword that he had on his back. It was way different than what she was used to. The blade was long and wide and the hilt was more like a cross. It seemed heavy and suitable to land powerful blows. It always depended on the wielder but this sword had sacrificed speed for power. Her katana wouldn't stand a chance against that sword if it came to clashing. But then again her katana was made for sudden and lethal blows and she was sure that she was way faster than any of these people. First of all, she couldn't sense any chakra. That fact only confirmed her suspicions that she was indeed far away from home. In the Shinobi Nations even civilians had chakra.

She was broken out of her thoughts when the man addressed her.

"My name is Eddard Stark, Warden of the North and Lord of Winterfell" he said with caution but not unkindly "May I know your name my lady?"

She wasn't sure what to answer. She was pretty sure than telling him the whole truth was out of the question. There was no way he would believe her and she didn't need this lord to think that she was crazy. She herself wouldn't believe someone if they told her that they were from another world. Telling him about Konoha would only complicate things since he had no way of knowing where that was. It would only cause more questions to be asked. Questions that she wouldn't be able to answer.

"My name is Haruno Sakura and where I come from I work as a healer" she said choosing to give her name but nothing about Konoha or her ninja status.

"A healer?" he tested the word on his tongue "Like a Maester?"

Maester? What was that? Wait….That strange old man had introduced his self as Maester Luwin. So 'Maester' wasn't his name but his job. He had taken care of her so that must mean that he is some kind of a doctor. So, a Maester here was like a medic ninja back in Konoha.

"Yes, like a Maester" she answered and saw his shoulders relax visibly. So, Maesters or doctors here were considered harmless. Judging by the way he had dropped his guard in her presence he must have thought that she was no threat either.

"How are you feeling my lady? You were in bad shape when my sons and I found you unconscious under the snow" he said and his voice was friendlier than before.

'What's with these people and calling me 'my lady'?' she thought but didn't voice it not wanting to insult the man before her. He had saved her after all.

"I'm feeling much better, my lord. Thank you for helping me" she chose her words carefully. Obviously, this man was used to being treated with respect. She had attended many council meetings in Tsunade's place as ambassador of Konoha and her diplomatic skills were quite advanced.

"May I know how you ended up in that situation?" asked Lord Eddard and watched the girl's face for her reaction. This girl was a mystery. She was no older than his older sons, Robb and Jon, yet her eyes held maturity that was only found in the eyes of a warrior who had fought many battles in his life. She was cautious, he noticed. And he was sure that she was smarter and more cunning than her innocent exterior allowed to show. Eddard Stark was no fool. Maester Luwin had informed him of the strange looking daggers they had found on her and something told him that she knew how to use them.

"I am terribly sorry to disappoint you, my lord. I find myself unable to remember the events that led to me falling unconscious under the snow. The blow to the head has made my memories foggy" she said with clear disappointment laced in her voice. Sakura put all her ninja training at use. Just like every other skilled shinobi, she was a master of the art of deceiving. She could make just about anyone believe her words. Only a very skilled ninja would be able to see through her acting and even then they would have great difficulty detecting the lies. The fact the she was a girl and her frail-looking appearance only made her words more convincing.

"That truly is a shame. I was very interested in hearing your story" The lord of Winterfell traced her face with his dark eyes. Detecting no lies in her emerald-green eyes, he relaxed his shoulders and stood up.

"I shall take my leave then. You have still not fully recovered. Rest for now, my lady and we shall talk more later"

"As you wish, my lord. Thank you for your hospitality. I shall take my leave once I am back on my feet" she said and bowed her head in respect.

"Why don't you consider staying for a while? It would be most beneficial for you health if you stayed. Maester Luwin will be able to check that head wound of yours and make sure that it causes no further problems. I am also certain that my sons are very eager to meet you" Lord Stark hadn't detected any lies or hostility in her behavior but he was not about to allow this strange girl with the strange daggers to wander alone. It was still not clear to him if she was an ally or not. Something told him that there would be dire consequences if she fell in the wrong hands. Lannister hands…It was an unnecessary risk that he was not willing to take. By keeping her close, he would be able to keep an eye on her.

Sakura processed his words in her mind. His proposal was tempting and it served her well. After all, she was in a whole new world that she knew nothing about. There was no way she was going to survive all alone out there. She was no fool. She knew that his reasons for wanting to keep her here were not only because he was concerned for her health, though she didn't doubt that he was a caring man. He wanted to keep an eye on her. But she could always make this turn to her advantage. Maybe staying in this place would help her get a better grip on her situation. It was possible that she would be able to find at least some clues of what she was supposed to do to go back. She looked up at the man and the corners of her lips lifted in a smile.

"Thank you, my lord. I am most grateful for everything you have done for me. Perhaps there is a way for me to repay you?" she asked politely. This man had taken her in his home and was allowing her to stay with him and his family. She was not ungrateful by nature and her life as a kunoichi had taught her that such acts of kindness were rare.

"Rest for now, my lady. And worry not about such things. There is nothing to repay me for. I only did what I thought was right. I am sorry but I must leave you now. I have a meeting to attend. No one will disturb you while you sleep. I hope you feel better soon"

With that the Lord Eddard Stark walked out of the room with his proud stride echoing on the stone and closed the heavy, wooden door behind him.

Sakura dropped her head back to the pillow and sighed in content at the softness. She was not in the best of situations but at least she had somewhere to stay. She would eventually have to start searching for a way back home but right now she was too tired to dwell much on it. She snuggled under the warm furs that were covering her and allowed her eyelids to drop. Sleep took over before she even realized…..

**END FLASHBACK**

"Look what you did, Arya! You destroy everything!"

"It was not my fault! You shouldn't have gotten in the way!"

Sakura looked up. Truth be told, the sight that she was met with was amusing at the least if not downright hilarious. The two daughters of Eddard and Catelyn Stark were facing each other in what appeared to be a yelling and glaring match. Sansa Stark's light blue dress and auburn hair were covered in mud that was slowly starting to trickle down her face and arms. Arya was had some mud on her face but was relatively clean compared to Sansa. The older girl was blushing a dark red both from embarrassment and anger. Arya, on the other hand, seemed to thoroughly enjoy her sister's distress. Sakura smiled. Arya was just like that. A prankster but an energetic and full of life and mirth child. And that was exactly why Sakura had grown to love her like the little sister she never had. Don't get her wrong, it's not like she didn't like Sansa or something. The auburn haired girl was a nice and polite young lady but she lacked that certain spark. She was almost always tense and never allowed herself to be free, even for a moment.

Sakura understood that she wanted to be a lady like her Lady mother, Catelyn Stark, but she was wasting her childhood trying to be something that she was going to be for the rest of her life. And Sakura, who had never gotten the chance to live her childhood carefree, she knew how important those years were. Maybe she should have a talk with Sansa; try to make her a bit more relaxed and free.

"If you knew how to be a lady then this wouldn't have happened!"

"You are overreacting! It's not like you got hurt or something! It's just a little mud!"

"You ruined my dress!"

"Relax, it's just a dress! It's nothing important! You can wash it!"

"What about my hair? It is all sticky and dirty with mud now!"

"After a good bath and brush it's gonna be ok!"

"You are terrible! Sometimes I wonder how it is that you are my sister!"

Sakura decided to step in before things got out of hand. The rosette knew how much pride Arya took in being a Stark and having that questioned always made her lose it.

"Now girls, what's with all the noise?" she asked and stepped between them while crossing her arms across her chest.

"Lady Sakura" Sansa said politely and bowed. Sakura had given up on trying to make her call her by her name after the first couple of months of her stay in Winterfell.

"It's nothing Sakura" Arya on the other hand had no problem calling her by her name from day one "Sansa is just going crazy over a dress"

"I'm not going crazy! You're not going to get away with this! I will inform Mother!" the girl said with clenched fists and quickly turned around. Sakura watched as the girl angrily walked towards the Stark residence before turning her piercing emerald eyes to young Arya who was trying hard not to burst out laughing.

"Arya…." Sakura said and tried hard to sound scolding but failed miserably. The sight of Arya looking as if she had just finished one of ser Rodrick's grueling training sessions along with mud covering her face and hair was just too amusing to pass. She giggled lightly but quickly regained composure when the young Stark girl's eyes turned to her.

"What? It's not my fault she goes crazy over a dress! How can she even wear that thing? It prevents you from moving freely and you cannot ride a horse properly while wearing it! Plus, it's itchy!" the girl said to her defense and Sakura had to agree with her. These dresses were extremely impractical. Lady Catelyn had coaxed her into wearing one the previous month. A King had come to visit them. King Robert, if she remembered correctly. As it turned out, he was Lord Eddard's close friend, and they had departed together not long after for a place named King's Landing. For what purpose she didn't know as she still wasn't familiar with the way things worked in this dimension.

She had been reluctant at first. Scratch that- She had been downright terrified! Not that the dress wasn't nice. In fact, it was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. It was a long gown made of dark, forest-green velvet. There was a golden sash tied around the waist along with long sleeves that were also trimmed in gold of the same material as the waist. The bodice tied at the back with a thin, golden string.

It was the fact that she had never worn a dress before that had made her panic. Unfortunately for her, Lady Catelyn knew exactly what to say to make her wear it. After all they would be feasting with a King and his family. She had to be presentable. It had been the longest night of her life. King Robert had given her the impression of a man who enjoyed life's pleasures to the fullest, even though he seemed a bit careless and not so thoughtful. The Queen on the other hand had made Sakura dislike her from the very beginning. The blonde woman was a walking ice cube-Sakura should know; she had been in love with one after all! She had walked in Winterfell as if she owned the place and she had sent Sakura such a degrading look that the pink-haired girl had to restrain herself from landing a nice, chakra-enchanted punch to her pretty, royal face. But that would cause problems for Lord Eddard and that was something she certainly did not want.

"Arya, you should respect your sister's choices. You might don't like dressing like that-"

"I hate it!"

"-but she does. You don't like it when she scolds you for coming home covered in dirt or for not acting like a proper lady. It's the same about her. I'm sure she doesn't appreciate it when you judge her for acting the way she is. Everyone makes their own choices. You've made yours and she has made hers. You should both learn to respect each other's wishes. It is only natural that different people will have different preferences."

Sakura saw guilt flash across the younger girl's face but it was short lived. A couple of seconds later her cute, little smirk was back along with the prankster aura. The rosette felt like rolling her eyes but instead focused her attention on the mischievous youngling before her. A smirk bloomed on her lips and she noticed with some satisfaction that Arya tensed.

"Now, where were we?" she said and started taking small steps towards the younger Stark daughter. The girl stepped back with a nervous smile.

"What are you talking about?" she scratched the back of her head making Sakura's smirk widen.

"I think you know what I'm talking about, Arya" Her emerald eyes held a predatory glint.

"I don't?" Arya said and Sakura would have laughed at the young girl's uncertainty if she hadn't been interrupted by a voice calling her name.

"Sakura!"

Sakura's eyes instantly lit up at the sound of that particular voice, all thoughts of tormenting Arya some more gone as she turned around to gather the little eight year old boy in her arms.

"Bran!" she said happily and kissed his hair.

To say that she liked little Brandon Stark would be the understatement of the century. She downright adored the youngest of the Starks! From day one, the little boy had managed to find his way into her heart. He defined innocence and gave it a whole new meaning! She was a sucker for cute things and he was just the cutest little human she had ever seen. She loved him with all of her heart. He was like a little brother to her. A little brother that she had sworn to protect at all costs…Especially after the almost fatal accident he had the previous month, a couple of days before the departure of his father with King Robert…..Fortunately, she had been there just the right time…..

**FLASHBACK**

Sakura sighed in content as she made her way around Winterfell. If she was going to be staying here, she had to get familiar with her surroundings. She chose to ignore the curious stares she was getting from the people around her. Almost a month had passed and they still hadn't gotten used to her.

'Well, I would be looking at me strangely too. Just look at these people. They are peaceful civilians. I am sure that almost all of them have never set foot outside Winterfell. It is only natural that they are curious; even scared.'

Sakura took a left turn and found herself in a different section of Winterfell. She could see a couple of abandoned towers up head. They were partly destroyed with collapsed roofs and broken down walls that were partly covered in vines. Despite being abandoned and unused, they created an intimidating sight. There was a mysterious aura around them that made Sakura want to explore some more. Just how much these old bricks of stone had seen? How many men had bowed before them in respect? How many kings had looked over the land from their windows? Kings, lords, civilians…The lives of men had passed….Yet these stones remained to sing a song as the wind blew around them. A song of an old age long forgotten when heroes still roamed the lands on their proud steeds; like the strings of a golden harp….

As if in a trance, she walked deeper into this section of Winterfell. There was something that was drawing her in. An ancient calling that spoke of power and greatness and glory and danger….Wait…Danger? The pink haired ninja closed her eyes and expanded her senses. She could feel everything around her. The rustling of the leaves, the snow crunching under her boots. Something wasn't right and she knew it. There was a serious disturbance to the balance around her and she could feel it. Even the way the wind was blowing around her seemed like a warning in itself. She allowed her senses to explore the environment around her. Wait….There! She could feel four presences somewhere above her. It was impossible to tell who they were since the people in this dimension had no distinguishable chakra signatures. She could still feel them, though. They were somewhere in the stone towers and at first she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She didn't know who they were and it was hard to decide whether she should act or not. They could be the danger she had felt but they could also be some Winterfell guards cooling off after training. After all, the place was tranquil and ideal for half an hour of relaxation after a hard day. That was what her more sensible part was telling her. But she was a kunoichi of Konoha and her ninja senses were screaming at her that something was terribly wrong. If there was something she had learnt all her years of being a shinobi, was that she should never ignore her instincts.

With her mind made up, she was about to start climbing the wall of one of the stone towers to get a better view of her surroundings when a piercing, heart-wrenching howl reached her ears. Had she been in Konoha, she wouldn't have been able to tell what it was. But after a month of being in Winterfell she had learnt to recognize the difference between the howl of a dog and the one of a direwolf. At least one of the Stark children was near and they were probably in trouble. Without wasting a second she shot forward, using a bit of chakra to boost her running. She flew through the old stone towers, over fallen boulders and tree branches before she came to a stop where she thought the howling had come from. Her eyes widened in terror and her blood froze in her veins at the scene she was met with.

Little Bran Stark was standing on the windowsill of the lone, high window of one of the still standing stone towers. His direwolf cub was sitting at the base of the tower, watching him. She was about to call out to him to climb down carefully before he got hurt but the words never made it out of her lips. In a split second Bran was falling.

Time seemed to pass in slow motion as her ninja senses kicked in and she flew the distance that was separating her from the falling boy that was approaching the hard ground at an alarming rate. She closed her arms around the small body of the unconscious boy and pulled him closer to her chest. Knowing that she had no time to land on her feet she twisted her body around a moment before they crashed to the ground. Her back hurt like hell since she had taken most, if not all, of the impact and she felt the breath get knocked out of her lungs. She quickly placed Bran on the ground and placed her glowing hands on his chest to make sure that he was not hurt internally. Once she was sure that nothing was seriously wrong she allowed a sigh of relief to escape her lips. He was ok. There was no internal bleeding or any broken bones. His other wounds were insignificant. Just a few scratches that would heal in no time. She picked the eight year old boy up and was about to take to him to his parents and inform the Lord and Lady of the incident when a group of Winterfell guards along with said Lord and Lady appeared behind a fallen boulder.

Lady Catelyn gasped in horror at the sight of the unconscious boy resting in the girl's arms.

"Bran!" she managed to choke out and rushed to his side along with Lord Eddard, who, despite not showing it, was equally worried for the well being of his youngest son.

"There is no need to worry, my Lord and Lady. The little lord is alright. He has no wounds that we have to be worried about. Only a few scratches and maybe a bruise or two, but other than that he is fine." Sakura said in her most soothing voice that someone would use to calm a frightened horse. She used the same tone on her patients, too.

The pink-haired woman allowed Lady Catelyn to take the boy from her arms with a warning of 'be careful' and turned to Lord Eddard who was looking at her.

"I would really appreciate it if you told me what happened." Despite the politeness of his statement, Sakura could clearly recognize the command in it. Sakura wasted no time.

"I was exploring the area around the old towers when I felt something was wrong" she started but didn't stay any more on that. They didn't have to know of her true nature yet. "I was taking a look around when I heard a piercing howl. I followed it and found the little lord on the window still up there. I was about to call out to him to get down when he slipped and started falling. I caught him just in time. I checked him for any wounds but found nothing too serious. He might not remember much of what happened or how because of the sock but it is nothing out of the ordinary. The mind sometimes chooses to wipe out memories of incidents that cause us pain or negative feelings."

Lord Stark absorbed all the information but never tore his grey eyes from the young woman. Despite being in Winterfell for some time now, he wasn't entirely sure he could trust her. She was an outlander after all and they knew nothing of her home or why she was so far away from it. If his experience had taught him anything, it was that people could betray even their own home for the right price. Someone who could turn against their own people, could turn against anyone in a heartbeat. This girl though….she seemed different. She hadn't shown any signs of being a spy or an assassin and she had proved to be of great help many times. The fact that she had saved Bran was proof enough. In her eyes he saw nothing but truth and clear worry for the well being of his son. At last, he nodded at her indicating that he was satisfied with her explanation and turned to pair of guards.

"Escort Lady Catelyn and Lord Brandon to their chambers and inform Maester Luwin to see that my son has the best of care."

The guards bowed and did as he had told them. Lady Catelyn was too worried for her son to resist and allowed the guards to lead her away. Bran's direwolf cub ran after them. Lord Eddard turned to her once more.

"You said that he might not remember."

"Yes but it is only natural. He must have gotten quite the scare. It is nothing permanent. It might take some weeks or a couple of months but his memory will come back. Right now it is best for him that he doesn't remember. The incident is still too fresh and he is nothing but a little boy. After a few weeks and once the shock has worn off, this is incident will be a valuable lesson for him."

"I don't know how to express my gratitude for what you have done my Lady. You saved my son's life. I'm in your dept." Eddard Stark said and bowed his head in thanks.

"Please my Lord, you owe me nothing. I should be the one grateful for all that you have offered me. It was the least I could do. Young Brandon has all his life in front of him to live and many things, good or bad, to see. I would have to hate myself if I had allowed him to be hurt when I could prevent it. As a medic it is my duty to heal people and give them life. It is my heart and my honor." Sakura replied and bowed in respect.

Lord Eddard stared in wonder and amazement at the young child across from him, no older than his sons Robb and Jon, speak with such maturity in her voice and eyes.

"You speak of duty and honor like a warrior who has fought many battles and bears many scars; yet you are still a child."

"Battles I have not fought" she easily lied "but I have seen great men live and die. Many lives I have lost and many more I have saved. It is a fine line between life and death. You can be alive but dead on the inside or you can be dead but forever alive in the memories of people. To see a man die is sad whether it is from age, illness or sword. But to see a young child die….."

The lord of Winterfell nodded in understanding all the while wondering exactly how many things the young woman had seen in her short life. She spoke with wisdom that few of his warriors had and even fewer could understand. For some reason he felt that there was more to her than she allowed to be seen but that wasn't entirely a bad thing. But there were more pressing matters at hand. He would have liked to stay there and discuss a bit more with her but his son needed him and he knew that it would be a sleepless night for him if he didn't make sure that Bran was alright himself.

"Excuse me my Lady" he said and bowed his head politely "you company is most pleasant yet I have other matters to attend to. I shall take my leave now. I hope to discuss some more with you tonight at dinner. There are some things that I would like to show you that you might find interesting."

"It would be my pleasure my Lord. I shall leave you to your business then and see you tonight. I'll go check up on Bran in a couple of hours after he has gotten some rest."

"That would be most convenient. Have a nice evening my Lady."

"You too my Lord."

**END FLASHBACK**

Sakura was young and with less experience than many older shinobi but she was no fool. She knew that Bran had not just 'slipped'. The way he had been standing on the window still was too steady for him to have lost his footing and the angle of his fall didn't indicate a slip. No. Something or _someone_ had pushed Bran off the window still on purpose. Someone who wanted to keep something hidden; something that Bran had probably seen. She wasn't sure what it was or who was the culprit but she was going to find out. She was sure that in the corner of her eye she had caught a flash of scarlet and gold. She was more focused on saving Bran but that much she had seen. She didn't know of anyone that would have any benefit from killing Bran so the boy had probably been at the wrong place at the wrong time. But what could be so terrible that someone would willingly push a little boy to his death?

"Sakura?"

She was broken out of her thoughts by Bran himself.

"Yes little Brandon?"

"Why is Arya covered in mud?"

Sakura giggled at his innocent face and lightly pinched his cheek. "It's nothing Bran. Arya and Sansa were just being brats again. Arya more than Sansa."

"Hey! She started it!" complained the younger Stark daughter.

"You can fool everyone else Arya, but you can't fool me. You know as well as I do that it was you little prankster that caused all this."

The girl huffed and crossed her arms across her chest in a defiant manner trying to look cool and indifferent though the mud tickling down her face didn't help at all.

Bran laughed at his sister "Arya's face looks funny!"

"I don't look funny you midget!"

"Hey! I am no midget!"

"Yes you are! Even that Lannister dwarf is taller than you!"

Sakura almost laughed out loud at little Brandon's expression. He looked horrified and downright insulted.

"I look nothing like a Lannister! I am a Stark! A direwolf not a lion!"

"Starks are tall! You are just a midget!"

Without a warning the small boy jumped from her arms and started chasing his sister….again. He ran as fast as his young legs could carry him and even though he was fast for his age, he was no match for prankster Arya. Still he didn't give up and ran after her until they turned a corner and Sakura could no longer see them.

"Bran! Arya! Get back here this instant!" she yelled after them in vain as they were already too far away. She doubted that they would have come back even if they had heard her anyway. She breathed a heavy sigh and massaged her temples to sooth a minor headache.

"I swear, I'm never gonna have any children of my own" she said more to herself. She didn't expect someone to answer.

"A shame really. You would have made a wonderful mother." said a voice Sakura could recognize anywhere and tried to hide the smile that immediately lit up her whole face. She turned around and bowed deeply.

"My Lord" she greeted "What a surprise to see you here. I assume you have finished your training."

"Indeed. Ser Rodrick allowed us to leave earlier than usual today."

"Oh. Did your training go well?" she asked with an innocent smile.

"Very well. I heard you calling my brother and sister. Causing trouble again?" the young man asked with a mischievous look in his grey eyes.

"You know how they are; full of life and energy. But right now I should probably go find them before they bring down Winterfell. It was a pleasure talking to you. Have a nice evening my Lord." the girl said and bowed once more before turning around and walking away towards one of the more unused passages of Winterfell. She had only taken a couple of steps in the dark and abandoned alley when she felt herself being pushed back against the stone wall.

She allowed a delighted laugh to escape her but it was cut short as a pair of soft lips claimed her own. The kiss was gentle and warm as it usually was and it made Sakura's stomach do flips. His body held her steady against the wall with his hands resting on her thighs. Her own hands found their way to his hair and she tangled her fingers in his soft dark locks. His lips moved from her own to her neck leaving a trail of soft kisses. She smirked and let a small moan escape her just to tease him. She felt him growl like the wolf he was against her neck and she laughed breathlessly at his possessiveness. He brought his mouth to hers once more. This time the kiss was more passionate and hungry. He was declaring his claim.

He pressed himself harder against her and this time she couldn't help the moan that rose to her lips. He sucked on a certain spot at her neck that made her dizzy and she tightened her legs around his waist. "My Lord" she breathed and she felt him growl against her skin.

"You know I hate it when you call me that."

"Why is that my Lord?" She couldn't help but smirk.

"I am no lord. Especially not to you Sakura." he answered and kissed her lips softly once more.

"Oh, come on. You know how much I love teasing you Jon." she laughed and played with the soft dark curls of his hair. Shining emerald clashed with smoldering dark grey and they stared deeply in each other's eyes.

Sakura couldn't really tell when or how she had fallen in love with Jon Snow (even though to her, he was more Stark than any of the other children. It's not that she didn't like Sansa, Arya, Bran and Robb. She loved all of them but Jon had something else. He was a real wolf). It had just happened. It had just occurred to her one day of her stay that she couldn't live without Jon. Maybe it had been that day that they had come home from hunting and Jon had been seriously injured that she had found out. It was strange how her heart had chosen to fall in love with someone completely different from Sasuke. The Uchiha was cold and silent and didn't give a damn about what others thought. Jon on the other hand was warm, always with a smile to give, ever-present to help and actually listened to what she had to say. She was positive that at some point she had loved Sasuke. But with Jon it was different. Her love for the younger Uchiha she had wanted to forget. It had caused her so much hurt she couldn't put it into words; she had fought that love with everything she had. And she had come victorious. Yet with Jon…She wanted to live this love to the fullest. It made her feel happy and…..whole. She had never felt more like herself. With Jon she didn't have to pretend the cool and collected kunoichi like she had done with Sasuke. She could be herself and she knew that he loved her for it. She wasn't scared of being judged; because she knew that she wouldn't be in the first place.

Jon reminded her so much of Naruto. He didn't have a demon sealed within him, but he too had been shunned by almost everyone all his life because of his birth. He was born a bastard son of Eddard Stark. So? Did that make everyone else better than him? Sakura had never met a more honorable man in her whole life(along with Naruto, of course) or someone who cherished family bonds more than Jon. He loved Robb deeply and practically adored little Bran and Arya. His relationship with Sansa she didn't know for the older Stark daughter was more like her mother; it was common knowledge that Lady Catelyn's feelings for Jon bordered to being hateful. She was blaming him for….well, for being born actually. She saw him as the outcome of the relationship of her Lord husband with another woman; a woman that wasn't her. Sakura could understand her to a point. She was a woman after all; she could still remember the betrayal and pain she had felt when she had learnt about that red-head on Sasuke's team. And she hadn't even been sure that there was anything going on between them. Lady Catelyn on the other hand knew that her husband had seeked another woman's warmth. And Jon only reminded her of that.

But that was no excuse. There was no excuse that could possibly explain the….hostile behavior towards an innocent child; an innocent child that would carry the title of the bastard for the rest of his life. A son cannot choose his father or him mother. Jon had never chosen that life. He had never wanted the surname 'Snow'. But he didn't really have a choice, did he? He had been treated like that all his life yet he was always polite with everyone. He was always willing and ready to help even those who had mocked him and belittled him for his birth; even Lady Catelyn who had never shown any other feeling other than hostility and disgust towards him. Sakura couldn't understand how anyone could treat badly a person like that.

'Let them think what they want. It's their loss that they'll never find out what a wonderful person Jon is.' she thought and buried her face in his warm chest. She liked Lady Catelyn; she really did. She was a nice and caring woman and Sakura would hate to have to face her. But if she ever said anything about Jon again in her presence, then she was going to give the Lady a long, Naruto-worthy lecture (in a polite way, of course).

"I hate this" She was brought of her thoughts when he spoke softly in her ear.

"What?"

"This. That we have to keep our bond secret. I can't take it anymore."

"You know I like it as much as you do Jon, but we don't have a choice. I don't know much about the political affairs in this world, but even I can tell that something's wrong. Something is disturbing the balance and you know as well as I do that your father didn't leave with the King just to become his Hand. He too knows that there is a conspiracy going on."

"But what does that have to do with us?"

"We might be warriors in my world, but most battles are won in the labyrinth of diplomacy. The people in Winterfell trust me but many your of lord father's allies don't. Hell, the Queen herself accused me openly in front of your father's court that I was the one to hurt Bran. That only served against me. It doesn't matter if they believe it or no. As long as it is their Queen's say they can do nothing but follow it."

"But you didn't do anything! You saved Bran! You could have gotten hurt yet you still saved him! What does it matter what the Queen says? My Lord father and Lady Catelyn believe you!"

"I know. And I can never express how grateful I am to have their trust. But you know it better than I do that while your father is the Lord of Winterfell, Cersei is the Queen. She made it clear that she despises me more than once. If she manages to turn them against me…."

"But why would she turn them against you?" he said and it pained Sakura to see the desperate look in his eyes.

"My dear Jon" she smirked "You should know better. Queen Cersei can recognize a powerful woman when she sees one. I might not have the political power that she has but I am still a threat to her. Mostly because she doesn't know the extent of my abilities. She also knows very well that if it comes down to war, I'll never betray Winterfell. She can play this game well but she still doesn't know if I can play better. That's what scares her. Uncertainty. They say, keep your friends close but your enemies even closer. She's in King's Landing and we are here. This way she cannot keep an eye on us. Damn Lannisters! I'm telling you Jon. Those Lions are bad news. I don't like them…at all."

"Neither do I. But don't you think that you are over analyzing this?"

"I grew up knowing that every new sunrise might be my last. I'm just taking precautions. It's not bad to keep an eye on things. Sometimes, noticing the smallest of details can save your skin."

"Queen Cersei knows nothing about you. I can't see why she would want to target you."

"My point exactly. From what I heard your father discuss with the King,-don't give me that look; I wasn't eavesdropping! I just happened to be passing by- the throne is unstable and the Lannisters are gaining power. Which means that are either gonna start a war or try to overthrow the King. You don't just gather a host; especially at a time of peace."

"It's disturbing how much you know about war."

"I am a warrior; a soldier. It's what I do. It's what I've been doing all my life and what I'm going to be doing until the day I die."

"Don't take it personally Sakura. I didn't want to offend you."

"I know. I just don't want dragged into this."

"What do you mean?"

"If Cersei manages to convince them that I am threat, then they are going to act upon their suspicion. That's why I don't want to reveal our bond just yet."

"What do you mean? Act upon their suspicion?"

"I mean that I'll find a blade at my throat in no time. Her brother, Jaime Lannister, he defeats enemies with a sword. Yet Cersei is far more dangerous. A woman like her can be merciless. Especially when she feels threatened."

"Winterfell will never allow anything like that to happen. No Northman will ever allow something like that. "

"Come on, Jon! You are a clever man. Look around you. Winterfell is not the same without your father. Lady Catelyn is too worried about the girls and Bran to focus on running this place. Robb has not yet come of age to take that responsibility upon his shoulders. Ser Rodrick and Maester Luwin are the ones taking care of things and they cannot do that forever. No matter how much your father tries, he is too far away to have control over everything and I'm sure that being the King's Hand doesn't help at all. From what I've seen, your father is probably doing the entire King's work."

"But I can't let you face all this alone."

"I'm not alone. I have you. I just don't want you to be accused of being a traitor because of me."

"This is outrageous! Why would they call me or you a traitor?"

"Sometimes, the easiest way to eliminate someone is to turn everyone against them. Think about it. If Cersei convinces them that I am an assassin or a spy or whatever, that way she has two birds with one stone. She takes me out and she comes out of this as the hero who saved the Realm from the evil outlander. Simple as that."

"My father is the Lord of Winterfell. He would never allow something like that."

"Your father might be the Lord of Winterfell, but he still has to protect his people. And for that he needs his lord bannermen."

"They follow my father and not the Queen."

"They don't have to be faithful to her. A couple of threats and you'll be surprised to find what someone can do to save their it comes down to it, eventually he will have to choose and I doubt that would put the lives of his people at risk for the sake of an outlander."

"An outlander that saved his son from certain death."

"Don't blame your father Jon. I'd do the same if I were in his place.

"The Others take them! Damn Lannisters! Damn them all!" Jon growled and tightened his grip around her before burying his nose in her rosy hair.

"Now, now. Let's not talk about this any longer. There is always time for that later. For now let's just enjoy the time we have together." said Sakura and kissed his forehead.

Jon looked up at her and, though she could still see worry in his eyes, he smiled up at her; a smile that made her knees go weak and her melt.

"Yes" he said and laid a sweet kiss to her lips before resting his forehead against hers "For now, let's just be together…."

**The End (for now)**

**So, here it is! Weird couple I know! I just came to me one day while I was watching the third season of "A Game of Thrones". I really wanted to throttle Cersei and being a huge Naruto fan, I thought that it would be really nice if Sakura could land a nice chakra-enchanted punch to her royal face! Just imagine it…Ahhhhhhh! Fulfilling! Anyway, then I saw Jon and since he is one of my favorite male characters (and the most interesting in my opinion. I have a theory about his past but I'll just sit back and wait to see what is going to happen!), I decided to pair him up with Sakura. An interesting couple they make, don't you think? I hope you liked it! I might start a series of long one-shots like this featuring the pairing JonXSakura but I'm not sure yet. It depends on what you have to say! Lots of love! READ AND REVIEW!**


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